Birmingham, Alabama – A former contractor for the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR), Kela Stanford, 54, has been criminally charged with a Class B felony in connection with the July 22, 2025, death of 3-year-old Ke'Torrius "K.J." Starkes Jr., who was left in a hot vehicle for approximately five hours. The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office announced the charge, citing Alabama’s Amiyah White Act.
K.J. Starkes Jr., who was in foster care, was allegedly left in Stanford's vehicle between 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. after being picked up from a supervised visit with his father. Temperatures in Birmingham that afternoon reached 96 degrees Fahrenheit, with heat index values soaring to 101-105 degrees. Police stated that K.J. was "accidentally left inside" the vehicle while in the care of Covenant Services, a third-party contractor for DHR, as he was being transported to a daycare program.
Stanford faces charges under Alabama Code Section 13A-11-290, which pertains to leaving a child under the age of seven unattended in a motor vehicle in a manner that creates an unreasonable risk of injury or harm, a Class B felony carrying a potential sentence of 2 to 20 years in prison. An audio recording has reportedly surfaced showing Stanford apologizing to the distraught family following the incident.
The Alabama DHR confirmed that a child in their custody "was being transported by a contract provider when the incident occurred," and stated that the provider had terminated the employee. However, the department cited confidentiality in declining further comment. This tragedy has sparked significant outrage within the community and among lawmakers, who are demanding greater transparency and accountability from DHR regarding its oversight of contracted services.
The family of K.J. Starkes Jr. has retained legal representation, characterizing the incident as a "completely avoidable" and "preventable tragedy." This marks the first hot car death in Alabama this year and at least the 16th nationwide in 2025, according to Kids and Car Safety, a non-profit organization. The Birmingham Police Department continues its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the child's death.